When the Moon Sets
by PromistDream
Summary: Rewrite of Peregrination. A sudden explosion of chakra throws Minato and Kushina into a coma. Days later, a nine year old boy is found. "This darkness will end when the moon sets." Timetravel. Family!NarutoxMinato
1. Prologue: It Begins

Summary: Rewrite of _Peregrination_. A sudden explosion of chakra throws Minato and Kushina into a coma. Days later, a nine year old boy is found. "This darkness will end when the moon sets." Timetravel. Family!NarutoxMinato

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns _Naruto_. The following is a fan-made fictional piece of writing authored by PromistDream based on Kishimoto's _Naruto_. No monetary profit is gained from the writing of the following fiction.

_When the Moon Sets_

Prologue: It Begins

* * *

Namikaze Minato looked down at the simple yet ornate ring nestled in a pillow of dark stain. He gently ran his thumb across the ring once more before closing the small box with a quiet _snap_.

_Okay you can do this, _Minato mentally repeated to himself. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror, pretending it was violet eyes staring back at him.

He let out a pent-up breath. "Kushina, will you marry me?"

His racing heart belied his steady words.

Tonight, Kushina would be returning from a B-rank mission. Tonight, he was going to ask her to marry him. He knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and he was not willing to waste anymore time. As ninja, they both risked their lives on a daily basis. And every time she left the village, he feared that she would never return.

Resolved, he tucked the box into his pants pocket, pressed it securely at the bottom, and gracefully slipped out his bathroom window into the moonlit night.

* * *

Minato stared at the red-painted door in trepidation. (He had yet to figure out how she got away with painting the apartment door her signature color.)

_Just knock, invite her out on a walk, and then ask her._ Despite his self-coaching, his stomach was still flipping at the 'ask her' part.

_You can do this._ He let out another calming breath and he steeled his nerves. He lifted his hand and knocked firmly against her door.

He waited…

And waited…

_Odd… It is only just past eleven; she usually is still up._ Minato peaked his head around the side of the apartment building, confirming that the shining lights from her bedroom were still on.

He counted to thirty. No response. Bending down, Minato place his hand against the ground. He sent a pulse of his chakra through the floor and closed his eyes in concentration. He felt his chakra brush up against an immense, fiery chakra – Kushina.

_She's in there and alone. _Minato stood and knocked again – louder this time.

_Still no response… __One minute. I'll wait one minute. _

He made it to forty seconds when an ear-shattering scream followed by a loud _thud!_ suddenly rang out from behind the apartment door.

Minato's eyes widened in alarm and he wrenched open the door (breaking the lock, he noticed distantly), unwilling to wait any longer – Kushina _never_ screamed like that.

Seeing no initial threat, he moved swiftly through her small living room to the hallway beyond. Her bedroom door was propped open, a slew of angry curses issuing from behind it. Minato took less than a second to reach the door and fling it open.

"Kushina!" He yelled worriedly, brandishing the kunai that somehow made it to his hand.

Almost instantly, another yelp sounded and kunai flew through the air at him. He swiftly dodged them but stumbled back as a body crashed into him. The air was knocked from his lungs and he was suddenly falling backwards with cold steel pressed against his neck. Acting on reflex, he swiftly flipped them so that the arms and body were pinned beneath him while the offending kunai clattered off to the side.

Wide violet eyes met blue.

"Minato!"

"Kushina, are you alright?"

"What are you-" She cut off suddenly.

Minato watched with mild fascination as her face flushed tomato red. _Is she sick?_ Minato quickly placed a hand against her forehead. _She feels warm. Is that why she screamed? Because she is sick? But that doesn't really make any sense…_

He opened his mouth to ask but was promptly stopped by a strong punch to his gut.

"GET OFF!"

Yet again, the air was forcefully pushed from his lungs as Minato stumbled up and back, wincing at the strength behind the blow. _She's sounds mad…_ _But she is safe._

The thought caused an unknown weight to drop from his shoulders. Absently, he heard Kushina get up.

He looked up at her and started to ask, "Kushina, are you o-"

But the words died on his tongue while his thoughts simultaneously derailed and crashed as he finally took in Kushina's form. Her dark violet eyes glared harshly at him and her face was flushed an even deeper red than before. Growling lowly, she took a step forward, causing her wild red hair to sway in dripping wet strands around her naked body.

_She's…_

"GET OUT!"

Dazed, he watched the world spin as she flipped him over her shoulder and into the hallway. A loud slamming door sounded behind him as he skidded to a halt on the cold floor.

_Beautiful… _

* * *

"Next time you decide you need to save me from Kami-knows-what," Kushina yelled angrily, stomping (fully clothed this time) into the front room, "don't!"

Minato gave her a guilty look as he stood up from his seat on the couch. "When you didn't answer the door, I started to worry."

She gave him a skeptical look. "Uh-huh..."

"And when you screamed I assumed the worst."

Kushina crossed her arms and glared at him. "You honestly believe that _if _an enemy ninja was able to sneak up on me, in _Konoha_ no less, the first thing I would do is _scream_?"

Minato gave a guilty chuckle as he stepped closer to her. "Well I wanted to protect you from whatever made you scream."

A dark blush crept across Kushina's cheeks. She glared at a random corner and mumbled, "I just got out of the shower and I tripped on my towel."

"But you're a ninja," Minato teased. "Shouldn't you be more aware of your surroundings?"

"You slammed open my door and scared the hell out of me. I reacted accordingly," she growled as she took a threatening step towards him. "I'd say I was pretty aware of my surroundings."

"But you slipped on your towel."

Kushina gave him another scathing glare. "Don't make me kill you."

Somehow, the glare was not as effective as it usually was. _Maybe it is the drowned-cat look she has because of her hair? Or maybe it is the blush? Kami, even in sweatpants and a t-shirt she's beautiful… _Minato felt his face heat up as he remembered…

"Hentai!" Kushina yelled as she landed another punch on Minato's chest.

Minato gave a small grunt as he staggered backwards. Abruptly, an idea started to form in his head. Looking at Kushina, he gave her an impish grin. Then, moving swiftly, he dashed forward. Kushina gave a startled yelp as she was swept up into his arms bridal-style.

"You're beautiful," he said, moving his face close to hers.

Kushina's face suddenly went blank and turned a rosy red.

"S-stop distracting me! And let me down ttebane!" She yelled, struggling in his grip.

"Nope," he laughed as he tightened his grip, "I think I want to keep you right here."

The moisture from her damp hair was soaking through his cloths but he could care less. He loved having her so close. Kushina gave a huff of annoyance and settled with crossing her arms and facing away from him. As silence echoed loudly against the walls, Minato took the time to discretely smell her hair. _Lovely..._

"So…" she trailed off, looking at the stack of scrolls in the corner.

"So…?" Minato prompted, still smiling.

Kushina faced him and, ignoring the small distance between them, poked a finger against his nose. "Other than to break my door – you're paying for that, by the way – and spy on me naked, why else are you here?"

Kushina's words floated past Minato. Instead, he finally seemed to notice how close they really were. The heat that rushed to his face was inevitable – he _really_ wanted to kiss her… A gentle hit against his cheek brought him back to the present and why he was here.

"Oi hentai! Quite dreaming and answer me!"

Minato smiled softly as his stomach began to flip. "You want to go on a walk?"

Kushina arched one eyebrow up. "That doesn't answer my question and it's almost midnight," she stated.

"I'll answer your question if you come with me," he replied happily, trying his hardest to hide his nervousness. Hopefully she couldn't feel his heart hammering in his chest. "Think of it as a midnight stroll."

She narrowed her eyes accusingly at him. "What are you up to? And why are you so nervous?"

_Damn… _

"Come with me and find out," he countered, dodging her question and smirking confidently even though he felt just the opposite.

* * *

"You know it isn't much of a midnight stroll if you carry me the entire way," Kushina commented lazily.

Minato merely smiled at her. He was fighting hard against the flips and twists of his stomach. _What if she says no?_

"And why are we out here again?" Kushina looked at him with a raised eye. "It has to be something big since you look like you're about to get sick."

_Am I really that bad at hiding my emotions?_

"No."

Minato whipped his head towards her, faltering in his steps, and looked at her with wide eyes. _How did she…?_

"I know you Minato," Kushina said with a sly grin. "Others may not be able to tell what you're thinking, but I can. I'm your girlfriend, remember?"

Minato continued to stare at her, now very much anxious._ So does that mean she already knows that I'm going to ask her to marry me?_

"Unfortunately I'm not always omnipotent, so this time you'll have to tell me: _Why. Are. We. Out. Here?_" Kushina punctuated each word with a jab of her finger against his chest.

Minato grinned in triumph. _Good – she hasn't figured it out yet. _

Kushina, seeing that he wasn't going to answer, huffed in mock annoyance and turned her head to continue gazing at the stars.

Minato continued walking up the steps leading to the Hokage Monument. _Almost there…_ _Will she even want to marry me?_ He watched her discreetly. The moonlight played softly against the arches and curves of her face, giving her an ethereal glow. _So beautiful. _

Minato stopped. They were at the top of the Hokage Monument, just a few feet from the edge of the Sandaime's head. _If she says no, then I will wait for her, even if it takes years. I will stand by her for the rest of my life. _

Kushina turned her head to stare across Konoha. Her violet eyes seemed to shine in the night and a look of awe was painted across her face.

_I love her._

"I love you Kushina," he whispered gently.

She slowly turned her attention to him. Her wide eyes stared back into his. Ignoring the mild nausea in his stomach, he tenderly set her down.

_Now… Ask her now…_

Carefully, Minato reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box.

"I love you," he repeated.

"Minato…" She breathed, eyes wide as she caught sight of the small box.

_Okay, she hasn't run yet…_Minato took a deep breath and held the box out in front of her. "Kushina, will y-"

Minato paused when Kushina flinched violently. _Did I do something wrong?_

Her eyes narrowed and her forehead wrinkled almost as if she was in pain.

His eyebrows furrowed in concern. Minato reached out a hand to her when she started to lightly sway in place while her eyes suddenly became unfocused and impossibly wider.

"Kushina?"

When the redhead gripped her stomach and let a small _"Ow…"_ escape from her lips, Minato knew that her reaction probably had little to do with the situation and more to do with the demon sealed within her. Alarmed, he vigilantly placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her wooly eyes.

"Kushina, tell me what's wrong. What do I do?" He urged, trying his best to keep the dread and worry from his voice.

She continued to stare sightlessly ahead as her words came out slowly and strained, "The Kyuubi – I don't know what's-"

Abruptly, she gave a startled gasp as she jerked forward, her knees buckling beneath her. Minato quickly caught her with both hands, letting the velvet box fall forgotten to the ground.

"Kushina!" Minato ignored the panic in his voice and instead focused on what to do next.

_The seal!_

But before he could even try looking at the seal, Kushina pinned him with her suddenly blood red eyes. His blood froze in horror as a silent scream escaped her lips. Flaming red chakra suddenly exploded around them, swallowing them completely.


	2. Chapter 1: The Uzumaki Legacy

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns _Naruto_. The following is a fan-made fictional piece of writing authored by PromistDream based on Kishimoto's _Naruto_. No monetary profit is gained from the writing of the following fiction.

_When the Moon Sets_

Chapter 1: The Uzumaki Legacy

* * *

Something was wrong…

Growling in irritation, Uchiha Madara's eyes popped open as he shot up into a sitting position. His eyebrows drew together in confused annoyance. He was lying on the ground of an obscure forest.

_Where am I?_

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed in thought. His mind was fuzzy, filled with fleeting images of what seemed like a fierce battle between hundreds of ninja. He was chakra depleted and he could not remember how he got there. What he could remember seemed wrong – like a distant memory. And his left eye felt different in a way that he could not describe.

Itching to move to a more secure location and figure out what the hell happened, he moved to stand up but paused in shock, staring at the unfamiliar armor and weapons he now carried.

His annoyance quickly became a silent and angry frustration. He was wearing dirty, tattered armor and a mask he could not remember donning. Though judging from the sheer amount of blood he was soaked in, not all of it was his. _Meaning that I was in a battle that I, for some reason, cannot remember. But does a battle explain my lack of chakra? _Only when he was in dire straits did he use so much of his chakra.

Calming himself (though internally a part of him continued to curse in irritation), Madara stood and glanced at his surroundings – he was encircled by acer trees.

_I'm in or near Hi no Kuni, though more likely closer to the border of Yu no Kuni… _

Madara started in surprise and slight alarm when a powerful chakra suddenly brushed up against his senses. He focused on it, discerning that the cold chakra was headed swiftly towards his current location. He had maybe less than a minute before the owner of said chakra would be upon him.

The Uchiha ignored the eerie familiarity of the chakra and instead turned his attention on escape – in his current chakra-depleted state, he knew he could not hold his own in a matched fight. Madara formed the handseals and focused what little chakra he had left to –

He froze as he noticed a small figure to his left. Deciding that he could spare a few seconds (it could _not_ be a coincidence that this boy was only a few meters from his unknown location), he stepped closer.

Just at the base of a tree lay an unconscious black-haired child, around nine if Madara had to guess, wearing armor sized for an adult body hanging in layers around his small frame. Like Madara's own armor, the boy's was also coated in blood and dirt. And sewn into the back of his over-sized clothing was the Uchiha Clan crest.

As the powerful chakra (along with several lesser chakras that Madara could now sense) moved ever closer, he made the decision to take the boy with him. If the boy did turn out to be an Uchiha, then he had the potential to become a powerful pawn. If not, then Madara would kill him.

Madara picked the child up, careful of the excess layers of clothing, and slung the unknown boy over his shoulder. Then, rapidly forming the necessary handseals, Madara and the boy were gone in a swirling vortex.

* * *

Seconds later, five figures landed noiselessly in the empty clearing. Four others remained silently hidden in the canopy provided by the trees, watching carefully for any threats to their leader.

"This is where you felt the surge?" An aging but strong man asked as he surveyed the area.

_Uzumaki Osamu, Kage of Uzushiogakure. _

"Hai, Osamu-sama," a female voice answered.

_Satomi Ruka, tokubetsu jounin of Uzushiogakure and sensor nin_.

The tall man nodded his head and bent down to critically study the array of dirt beneath their feet. Following his lead, the team around him began their own searches, treading carefully as not to disturb any potential clues.

Noticing an odd swirl of debris centered in one location, Osamu ordered softly, "Ruka, search the surrounding trees for any sign of disturbance."

Ruka paused her current search and bowed, muttering, "Hai, Osamu-sama," before taking to scrutinize the trees.

"Osamu-sama!" a man called in astonishment.

_Takeshi Ken, jounin of Uzushiogakure and personal guard of the Uzukage._

Osamu turned to look at the man. Ken was cautiously clearing away a bush to reveal a small boy. The boy had bright blonde hair and was dressed in clothes much to large for a child. Peculiarly, though the clothing was riddled with tears, dirt, blood, and burns, the boy himself held no such marks.

"Yasuo," Osamu called in a commanding voice as he moved closer to Ken and the boy.

_Hideko Yasuo, medical jounin of Uzushiogakure._

Yasuo nodded in understanding. The man approached the boy, Ken stepping back, and knelt down, pressing two digits against the boy's neck.

As Osamu observed, the remaining of his convoy fell in behind him, curious as to who had been discovered.

"He's still alive," Yasuo stated calmly, pulling his hand back. The green glow of chakra surrounded the medic's hand and he let it hover over the boy's chest. Several beats of silence passed before the man nodded to himself and released the hold on his chakra.

"Though he is suffering from chakra depletion, he has no internal or external injuries. He is currently unconscious as a likely result of chakra depletion but I expect that he will recover within a week," the medic spoke, standing up.

"What should we do Osamu-sama?" Uzumaki Akio queried, glancing at the boy and then his leader.

_Uzumaki Akio, seals master and personal advisor to the Uzukage. _

Osamu turned his head and discreetly studied his nephew. Though dark bags drooped heavily beneath the man's eyes, Akio's gaze was as steady as always. Four days ago, the man's daughter had fallen into a coma after unknown complications with her Jinchuriki seal. Since hearing the news, the middle-aged man had hardly slept, insisting that he travel with his Kage when Konoha had requested Uzushio for assistance with his great-niece's seal.

After a few quiet moments, he answered, "We take him to the nearest town and leave him at the hospital."

Turning away, Osamu nodded at Yasuo, who moved to pick the boy up. But as the boy was lifted, an object fell from his layers of clothing, falling with a soft _clink_ against the ground.

_A headband._

Curious, Osamu picked it up. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw what was engraved on its surface: a swirling leaf.

"He has a Konoha headband," Osamu said slowly as he pocketed the item.

The eyes of the men and woman around him widened in surprise and, though now very curious and suspicious, they remained respectfully tacit.

Osamu glanced at the boy in thought. Finally, he looked up. "We will take him with us to Konohagakure instead. Yasuo, examine the boy again for any additional information. Ken, Ruka, continue searching the area. We will depart in half an hour. We still have three days of travel before we reach Konohagakure."

A chorus of "Hai, Osamu-sama," sounded in the clearing as the group proceeded to obey their leader.

"Odd coincidence, isn't it, Osamu-sama," Uzumaki Akio stated as he approached him, "that we should find this boy on our journey to Konoha."

"Odd indeed," The tall man agreed sagely as he stared hard at the boy.

* * *

Hi no Kuni – The Land of Fire

Yu no Kuni – The Land of Hot Springs

Uzushiogakure – The Hidden Whirlpool Village


	3. Chapter 2: Your Name

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns _Naruto_. The following is a fan-made fictional piece of writing authored by PromistDream based on Kishimoto's _Naruto_. No monetary profit is gained from the writing of the following fiction.

A/N: Happy Belated Birthday Naruto!

_When the Moon Sets_

Chapter 2: Your Name

* * *

Darkness surrounded him. He was cold, confused, and…

He felt…

He didn't know…

_What is this feeling?_

_Tired?_ he internally questioned. _Maybe... Or is something else... _

His body ached dully and he felt that he should _know_ something but… His mind was blank… hazy….

He focused on finding something but all he could see black… It was a nothingness that stretched forever before him. A part of him _knew_ that there was more than this endless darkness.

And so he searched.

He did not know how much time had passed (time seemed meaningless here) when, distantly, he became aware of gentle sparks of life brushing up against his mind. With these sparks came a rhythmic sound, low and muffled.

His mind turned to the babel and, even though it was muddled, he recognized it as a voice… No, several voices. And they were talking slowly and hesitatingly, almost like… _like what?_ He felt so confused. He did not like this feeling at all.

All of a sudden, a warm hand landed on his wrist, startling him badly. Acting reflexively, he jerked his eyes open (_had they been closed this entire time?_) and leapt up, pulling away. He was blinded by the unexpected onslaught of light and his eyes shut again as he stumbled back.

Another set of hands was on his shoulders, steadying him. He panicked and resisted as the muffled voices grew louder. He tried to pull back but the hands kept a firm grip on his shoulders. He felt dizzy and his chest hurt and the confused cloud cloaking his mind grew stronger.

Suddenly, a soothing warmth spread throughout his body. And even though his mind was still frightened, his body automatically calmed. He stilled, finding that he liked this warmth better than the chilling terror from before. Finally, when his chest no longer continued to pain him, the boy chanced opening his eyes.

His sight was filled with kind, grey eyes staring back at him with concern. The boy tried to draw back (_he was confused, he didn't know this man, he didn't know what was going on, he wanted it all to stop!_) but the hands kept him in place. They belonged to an aging man with long, graying-red hair.

Behind the man stood four other people, a woman and three men. Each were staring at him with varying levels of concern and interest.

With a pop, the hum around him suddenly came with startling clarity: the steady breathing of each person, the soft crackling of a fire, and the myriad of nocturnal cooing and cawing. Each resonance made his own erratic breathing seem too loud. At the edge of his conscious, he could still feel the old panic simmering, ready to consume him, but the warmth flooding his body kept it at bay.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, his own squeaky voice startling even himself.

The man slowly moved back, removing his weathered hands from his shoulders. The warmth faded and the boy took the chance to shuffle back a few steps while the man regarded him.

Finally, the man answered him in a rough, graveled voice, "It's rude to ask for someone's name without giving your own."

Something about the man's voice calmed him further. His breathing slowed of its own accord while he stared blankly at the man in front of him. Silence enveloped them.

_Name… My name…_The boy searched his mind but he could find nothing. _I don't know_…

He felt himself begin to panic again but the man's voice sounded again, consoling him, "What is your name?"

A beat of silence passed before he answered, unsure, "I… I don't know…"

The man's eyebrows rose in mild surprise. He glanced back at one of the men behind him – an old one with long, whispery-white hair, some of which was held up by a high-placed bun. The two men seemed to have a conversation before the man with grey eyes nodded and turned back to him.

"My name is Uzumaki Akio," the man began, "behind me is Uzumaki Osamu," the old man with white hair and violet eyes, "Satomi Ruka," the woman with green hair and blue eyes, "Takeshi Ken," the man with brown hair and brown eyes, "and Hideko Yasuo," the man with dirty-blonde hair and grey eyes.

_Uzumaki… That's_—

"Can you tell me what you remember last?" Akio asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He glanced at the other people and was surprised to see that they no longer were focused on him. The boy frowned and set his fuzzy mind to try and remember something—anything.

"Black. Everything was dark."

Akio asked cautiously. "Were you cold?"

The boy frowned in thought. "A little."

The man nodded in thought. "Were you scared?"

"No!" The boy shouted suddenly, surprising himself, but he continued anyway, "I just don't like being alone!" The boy huffed and crossed his arms, then froze. _'I don't like being alone?' How do I know that?_

Akio gave a small smile at his outburst. He then stood up from his crouched position and walked over to a backpack near the fire.

"We found you two days ago," he said as he picked through the pack, "You were unconscious in the middle of a forest leagues away from any form of civilization."

The man withdrew a bundle from the pack and returned to kneeling in front of him.

"Do you recognize any of this?" the old man asked, handing him the bundle.

The boy looked down at the pile of tattered clothes. Smears of brown littered its surface.

_Blood_, he realized. _But how do I know that?_

He pulled the top piece loose, letting the rest of the clothing fall to the ground with a soft _thump_. He held it up. It was a large, black and orange jacket that looked like it had been thrown into a fire. He turned it around and examined its back—there was a large red swirl sewn in the top center. He looked back at the older man.

"Hey!" He shouted, pointing at the man's forehead, "that's the same thing that is on your head!"

Akio chuckled and briefly touched his hand to the engraved metal resting on his brow, "Yes, this the symbol of my village, Uzushiogakure."

The boy looked over at the other people gathered around the fire. They each had the same symbolic metal on their person.

The boy placed the jacket down and rifled through the remaining clothes—a torn, black shirt, a heavy shirt made of small rings of metal, a pair of dark, very frayed pants, and one shoe that looked to have been mauled by some beast.

"What is this stuff?" The boy asked as he put the shoe down on the stack of ruined clothes.

"We found it with you," the man answered. "Yesterday we stopped in a small town and bought you some more appropriate clothes."

The boy's eyes widened and he looked at the graying redhead, "This stuff is _mine_? What _happened_ to me?"

"We were hoping you could answer that for us but…" Akio trailed off. Then he turned, pulling a small piece of metal and cloth out from behind him. He handed it to the boy, "This was found with you as well. Do you recognize any of this?"

_This is… mine? _The boy clutched the metal tighter, suddenly feeling like the hunk of metal was much more important than he originally thought. He ran his fingers over the engraved metal, following the carved symbol. It was different than the symbol Akio and others had. He felt that he should recognize it but…

"No, I don't."

Akio frowned slightly but nodded in understanding. "That," he said, pointing to the swirling symbol, "is the emblem of Konohagakure."

The boy frowned in thought. _Konohagakure…_ Something within him resonated at the word.

"Do you know what that is?"

He thought about the fuzzy confusion and the endless darkness. He thought that maybe some part of him recognized it but… _Nothing…_

He shook his head. "No."

"Konohagakure is a village of ninjas. We're traveling there and are about a day's journey away. Would you like to come with us?"

The boy looked at the surrounding forest, the people around him, and then at the kind man before him. Where else would he go?

He nodded his head with determination, "Yes."

* * *

The next day, the group resumed their travel. It was a silent walk and, even though he was much smaller than the other members, the boy had no trouble keeping up with the adults.

Around mid-morning, the boy finally spotted something different in the landscape. It was a tower wall with two giant doors.

"Kakkoii…" He ran ahead of the group to get a better look.

He stopped at the base of the large doors and stared up in awe. The symbol for 'fire' was painted in red across its panels of wood. It was… amazing…

A loud voice and a hand pointed at his face pulled him from his gapping, "Who're you?"

The boy stumbled away from the bulky man addressing him but was stopped when his back hit against two legs—Akio.

"We are the convoy from Uzushio," Osamu answered as he stepped to the front of the group.

"Ah! U-Uzukage-sama!" The guard bowed quickly, "I apologize for my rudeness."

The white-haired man waved off the man's apology, instead asking, "May we enter?"

"Of course!" The guard hurriedly rushed to pull out his clipboard. "Names?"

"Uzumaki Osamu, Uzumaki Akio, Satomi Ruka, Takeshi Ken, and Hideko Yasuo," he supplied. "In addition, we have four hunter-nin traveling with our party."

_Hunter-nin? _The boy looked behind the group but could not spot any other figures. _Where are they?_

The guard nodded as he finished writing down the names. "They may check in with our own hunter-nin," he said, pointing up to an empty tower next to the one of the great doors.

Osamu flicked his wrist and the boy jumped when four figures dressed in black dashed from the treetops and up the wall.

The boy's eyes widened. _Were they there the entire time? _

"And what about the boy?" The guard asked, looking at him.

"The boy has amnesia," Akio answered for him, "he doesn't remember."

"Hmm," the guard's mouth set into a thin line as he rubbed at his chin, "He needs a name to enter the city."

Akio looked back at him with a contemplative look. "Kazama Arashi."

The guard nodded, jotting the name down, before letting the group through with another bow.

_Kazama Arashi? Is that my name?_

Akio's voice brought him from his musing, "The boy and I will continue to the hospital."

Osamu nodded once, "Meet us at the Hokage's Tower when you are finished."

Akio bowed and began walking away. The boy hurried after him, not wanting to loose sight of him in the large city.

* * *

Uzumaki Akio strode down the bustling halls of Konoha's hospital. Though many passed him, he walked alone. The boy (_Arashi,_ he reminded himself, _I named him_ _Kazama Arashi_) had been swept away by a nurse upon arrival, leaving Akio to find his daughter.

Though unconscious, Kushina was alive and that was all that mattered. His chest ached at the sight of her, weak and unmoving, and yet… Her Uzumaki blood would pull her through – of that he was sure.

It had been over three years since he had seen her last and he could now see even more of his own great-great-grandmother in Kushina. Though the Uzumaki Mito he knew growing up was aged and timeworn, her beauty and elegance had still shown through. Now he could see that same refined elegance and beauty in his own daughter.

His lips quirked up in an almost-smile. He was glad that Kushina already had a man. With her ever-emerging beauty and, by default, suitors, he doubted his quick-tempered daughter would stand for dozens of men following at her heels before pummeling them into the ground.

Akio looked up briefly from his musings and paused. He was standing at the end of the hall, quite literally facing a blank wall.

_I passed it._

Ignoring his own lapse (he was _not_ getting old), he turned and re-traced his steps, this time focusing on finding the correct room.

Finally spotting it, Akio opened the door of Namikaze Minato. He looked at the unconscious yet vibrant young man, who's skin was now pale with chakra illness. This was the boy who, only several weeks ago, approached him for his daughter's hand.

And though he had laughed internally (because he remembered the consistent complaining of his daughter about the young orphan brought to Konoha by Jiraiya), Akio could not see Kushina happy with any other man. He had looked at the nervous yet determined face of Namikaze Minato, had smiled with relief (_Finally this boy was claiming Kushina as his!_) and gave the anxious blonde his assent.

Akio approached the foot of the hospital bed and picked up the clipboard containing the blonde's medical charts. Reading through the papers, it seemed the younger man was in a somewhat better than Kushina and would make a full recovery. Satisfied with his perusal of the blonde's medical status, Akio replaced the chart and turned to leave…

But paused when he saw a small, thoroughly charred and slightly melted ring-box sitting with Minato's belongs. Curious, he stepped closer to examine it.

All of its velvet lining had been burned away and a large section of the box was completely missing. He carefully picked it up but frowned in dismay when small flecks of the case fell apart into in hand. Delicately, he pried open the ruined box and peeked inside at the ring. Some of the silver had melted and one of three diamonds was missing from its hold.

Akio's mouth set into a grim line. He contemplated for several silent moments. Then, after glancing once at the prone blonde, surreptitiously slipped the ruined velvet box into his pocket. He was gone from the room seconds later.

* * *

Kakkoii – Cool


End file.
